


The Blue Skies of Naboo

by Gammarad



Series: Writing Rainbow Works [1]
Category: Mansfield Park - Jane Austen, Star Wars: Queen's Shadow - E. K. Johnson
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/F, Flash Exchange Fic, Gen, Hair Brushing, Politics, Quadruple Drabble Series, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 21:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19894855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gammarad/pseuds/Gammarad
Summary: Fanny Price and Mary Crawford as handmaidens of Queen Amidala





	The Blue Skies of Naboo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LittleRaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRaven/gifts).



A messenger arrived at the Theed Royal Palace on Naboo. Fanné Pricilia was the handmaiden on duty. She warmly welcomed him to wait and went to see if the Queen would entertain him.

Maré Craforida, adept at the Queen's favorite ornate styles, was brushing Padmé Amidala's hair. Fanné often wished she had such a skill so that she might be the one smoothing the brush along the long dark strands like night, setting the jewels like stars into their places on her head. "My Queen," Fanné said, "a messenger has come from the Royal Council. Will you see him?"

She would. Fanné returned shortly with the messenger and his message. Padmé accepted the datapad and scanned it quickly, Maré reading over her shoulder. The Queen handed it back immediately to the messenger. "Tell them I will not sign this into law."

"But Padmé," Maré said lightly, her expression giving away more than her voice, "do you not wish to be Queen for another term?"

"Tempting, but I should not. Others must have the chance to serve." The messenger bowed, took this rightly as dismissal, and was gone. Maré resumed brushing Padmé's hair as if she had not been interrupted.

Fanné felt her heart go out to her Queen. Though Maré might be Padmé's favorite, she felt that Maré was never serious about their duty to Naboo and its people. Maré was pretty and social, and her hands were gentle and dexterous in Padmé's fine hair. That should not be enough; it was not, to Fanné. 

"You should consider running in the next election, Fanné," Padmé said. A thrill of shock ran through Fanné's heart, and she was struck dumb.

"Fanné run for Queen?" Maré laughed gently. "But there are so many gatherings! You know she often must retire halfway through an event." She looked with concern at Fanné. "It would be difficult, with her health as it is."

"She has such a fine sense of what will best serve the planet," Padmé said firmly. "Her health has been improving these last months. By the time of the election, she will be ready."

They spoke of Fanné as if she was not still there, listening. Fanné felt herself blush deep red. At the same time, the first tendrils of ambition reached into her heart. If Padmé thought she would be a good Queen for Naboo, she knew she had to try.

*****

Fanné and Padmé stood next to a large open window, looking out at the night sky. 

"Do you remember how you showed me where Coruscant was in the sky?" Fanné didn't look at the Queen. She kept her eyes on the stars. They used to hold only promise; now they held threats, too.

"Yes, I remember. There it is, in the Big Fish constellation." Padmé turned and took Fanné's hand in hers. "When I have gone to Coruscant to represent Naboo in the Senate, will you watch the stars and think of me there?"

Fanné swallowed. "I am sure I will," she said. "Unless you take me with you? I don't need to stay here. Maré would run a better campaign. To see your policies continued, if she wins -- and I could accompany you."

"Fanné, you represent everything the people of Naboo want in their Queen. The innocent wisdom of a girl who believes in them, who holds their happiness in her highest regard. Maré is wonderful," Padmé added with extra warmth in her tone that Fanné could not appreciate. "But she is not like you. She will do better in the political world of the Senate, I feel sure. And you will thrive here at home." 

Fanné did not have an argument; she did not even disagree. There was only her longing to stay with Padmé and envy of Maré's getting to do so. The thought of the Senate and the political maneuvering made her feel a bit faint. But she knew she could bear it if she had to. She only wished Padmé agreed.

Since she had no argument, Fanné changed the subject. "We could see the stars better from the grounds," she said. "The fainter ones don't show well through the barrier field." 

She could see Padmé leaning toward assent. Then music began to swell from below. Maré was playing her instrument and singing. Her voice was lovely, her playing skillful. 

The distraction proved too much. "We should go down and attend the musical performance," Padmé said softly. "Won't you come?" She began to walk toward the ramp that led down to the music room. 

"I will come to join you all in a little while," Fanné said. "After I am done looking at the stars." She turned her back on Padmé, clasped her hands behind her back, staring up at Coruscant Prime. Not one tear fell.

**Author's Note:**

> The first 400 word segment is based on a scene in Queen's Shadow where Sabé brushes Padmé's hair and questions her decision not to sign the amendment allowing her to run for another term. 
> 
> The second 400 word segment is based on a scene in Mansfield Park where Edmund and Fanny look out the window at the stars, Fanny asks Edmund to go outside with her to view them better, and Edmund decides to go listen to Mary's glee instead.


End file.
